Listen to plenty of performance gurus, making it tempting to convince yourself that dozing is a superpower: more than a quick fix following poor sleep, but a path to enhanced cognition, improved mood and possibly a faster 5k run time. Elite soccer players swear by it – and so are professional piano players, mixed martial artists & high-profile executives. However, if you don't have a special sleep space or a job that encourages regular snoozing, are there *really* sufficient advantages to a short sleep to justify the effort? Is there a dependable method to get to sleep quickly enough? And can you truly ensure you’ll wake up feeling refreshed, not worse?
Identifying The Nap Motivation
“There are three main reasons for taking a nap among most adults,” notes a leading sleep science professor. “One is termed compensatory napping, that is what happens following a lack of sleep overnight. The second is pre-emptive sleep, where you are anticipating insufficient sleep ahead, for example when working on night shifts. The third is called “pleasure-based sleep”, which basically comes down to wanting: there is an opportunity to doze in the afternoon, and it's pleasant to do it.”
The primary task to do, then, is to examine your reason for napping. “Naps can be truly beneficial when night sleeping is disturbed due to causes you cannot change – for instance, if you’re a new parent, or you’re recovering from sickness or strenuous activity,” explains a sleep specialist. “However, if you’re napping as your nighttime sleep is unstable or unreliable, that can be an indicator your sleep drive is not at the level it needs to be. Under those circumstances, daytime sleep can turn into a contributing factor, not the solution. Employ naps as a temporary measure for short-term problems – the main goal must always be a solid and consistent overnight rest.”
The Perfect Nap Duration
Therefore that daytime sleep ought not to be too extended to interfere with your nighttime sleep, and ideally are not recommended after about 3pm (based on what time you sleep at night). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. From the most-cited studies about napping, experts noted that astronauts showed a boost of up to 54% in attentiveness and a 34% boost in task performance following a nap of 26 minutes (technically, this involved a six-minute nodding-off period). “I’d suggest setting an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – most people fall asleep quickly,” notes a specialist. “There is plenty of recommendations concerning the perfect length for sleeping, however, that can cause people to feel more worried than anything – and the least helpful action one can do when attempting to fall asleep is to be anxious.”
If you plan to take an extended nap, avoid the 45-60 minute window that encourages sleep inertia, that spaced-out feeling upon waking. “Studies suggests it's more effective to take a lengthier snooze lasting 60-90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” explains the sleep scientist. “Forty-five minutes is enough time to send you into slow-wave sleep and it is more probable to feel groggy upon awakening – while if you extend it a bit longer to an hour or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to be on the end a full cycle and are likely to wake up feeling more rejuvenated. Though if you nap for a long period, it may impact the quality of your sleep that night.”
Establishing an Ideal Snooze Setting
Regarding specific techniques, advice differs. A few professionals suggest employing similar routines you’d use to promote a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a cozy bed and minimal light as possible. Some advise that it's fine to merely snooze in a chair with ambient lighting is present – to prevent sleep inertia and to “protect” your bedroom as the space your brain links with proper sleep. “Napping is something really tricky to will,” says a specialist. “Lacking any drowsiness, it becomes harder to recline and practically tell yourself to go to sleep. There must be a natural inclination available to initiate sleep initially. For me, it's possible to snooze during the day and naturally wake up without an alarm, though, what aids a lot of people is to anticipate a time where they feel naturally slightly tired and just gently ease into sleep.”
Experimentation is key, and when your choices are limited – for instance, if you’re trying to squeeze in a quick nap while traveling or at the office – there’s nothing wrong with bringing a few tools. “When I’m working with elite athletes, I advise that they avoid becoming accustomed to sleeping in their bed, since they’re going to have|they will
